Fighting Dreamers
by Blazeraptor54
Summary: Grimm, Bandits, and Immortal Monsters beware. With ancient knowledge, comes ancient power, and with luck maybe less of a chance to die. Naruto Uzumaki, raised by his parent's familiars, seeks to strike at the darkness that took his parents. With Shinobi blood running in his veins, perhaps the world could be saved? No pressure. (Poll is up.)
1. No One

Deep in the woods, a young family ran. Running fast through shrubs, they heard the cries and howls of Beowolfs behind them. Dark, demonic-like creatures, they hounded the humans like a wolf hounded deer. The family screamed in anguish as they suddenly had to stop, they came to the edge of a cliff face. Below them was a massive river, flowing and cutting through the mountains of Mistral.

"Daddy," The young girl clutched father, "They're coming."

The young mother stood by her husband as a Beowolf breached the brush in front of them. Snarling while slowly, agonizingly, advancing toward them. It was if it was torturing them, giving them a choice. A dark choice, with no winner on their side.

Be devoured by the pack alive or jump.

Wincing, the man looked at his family, "I love you all."

"Daddy no!" The girl screamed as he ran at them, in a vain attempt to draw them away.

The father gave a war cry, running at the lead Beowolf, an Alpha, bony armor surrounding its entire feature. He didn't get too close, close enough to be slashed by the monster's claws, sending him backward. The man flew into his young daughter, knocking her over the cliff.

"Sapphire!"

The young girl looked up at the world slowed around her, she saw her father reaching out to her. She closed her eyes, awaiting the thump from the stones below. Where she would surely die on impact, her body to be devoured by the pack.

However, it didn't come to pass!

A knife flew in front of her, a three-pronged blade. A golden light suddenly flashed in front of her, blinding her with its majesty. She felt something grab her, making out a figure in the light, she found herself being slung upward into the air. High enough, strong enough, her father barely catches her when breaks the edge of the cliff.

A glowing sigil on her right shoulder, in the spiral pattern of strange symbols. It glowed, just as another golden light shined, blinding the family. The youngest of the children, a young boy, made out the figure. It was much shorter than his father, covered in head to toe in clothing. A mask, foxlike, was in place over the face of the one immersed in the golden light.

His hands contorting, his middle and index fingers on both hands crossing each other. To his sides, three puffs smoke, and then a few more of the figures ran out. They launched themselves at the pack in front of the family, blades having a faint glow around them.

Slicing, cutting, and destroying the demons in front of them. When one of the leaders of the pack got a lucky shot in, the figure it sliced exploded into smoke. Covering the movement of the original, the original figure appeared above the wolf, a glowing ball of energy in hand. The smoke swirled; the pained howl of the demon deafened the area as it was blown over the cliff.

The various members of its pack either running, turning into black dust, or simply in the process of doing both. Standing up, the figure was now fully visible to the family. The cloak it wore was dark blue, fluttering in the howling winds of Mistral's mountains. The figure turned, his mask facing toward them, he walked toward them. The father instinctively placing himself in the front, protecting his family, along with his wife.

"I'm not gonna hurt any of you," the voice of the figure was muffled, but very high in pitch.

He grabbed a pouch from his hip, "There are herbs in this meant to help with cuts and colds. I know your village got burned recently and you're on the run from monsters that did it."

"I'm not one of those monsters," the figure finished as he turned toward the forest, "you should get going, ya know."

"Wait…" the girl ran out in front, the figure turned toward her.

She gathered her courage, "Who are you?"

The figure stood there, he looked at them, "No One."

She went to question him, only for him to blur out of sight, the other figures disappearing into smoke clouds. It dawned upon them, slowly at first, but this was the figure that had been circulating around. A mysterious warrior that came, and went, as fast as the winds blew.

"No One…" The father spoke, confused as if it was a riddle.

* * *

No One traveled through the trees, his short stature allowed him almost glide amongst the leaves. He came across another Grimm, seemingly hunting another escaping villager. He dove down, slashing its head off with ease before jumping back into the trees. The cold blue-gray skies above him kept him mostly hidden in the dark trees until he dropped down.

He leaped toward another tree, stopping briefly. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, sensing life energies around him, and the absence of said life energies from the monsters. Forming the same hand seal, used earlier, he whispered.

_"__Multi-Shadow Jutsu…" _

Dozens of copies popped into existence, each one ran off to confront and take down a monster. Each one ensuring the life of a villager would be spared. Gathering himself, No One stood up straight, jumping off the tree and onto another one. He felt that he was in danger and turned around just in time to block a bullet with his kunai.

The shards of the bullet barely passing his head, deflecting off the tree behind him. The person that fired at him was one of the bandits that attacked the village, without much fanfare, No One leaps toward him. The man tries to take aim, it was already too late though, No One's blade pierces his aura, slashing a clean cut across his neck.

Blood ran down the man's neck, he gripped it, gurgling as he fell to his knees. No One turned on his heel, driving the middle prong into the back of the man's neck, severing the spinal cord with the energy flowing the blade. The man slumped over, dead, even before he hit the ground.

No One's porcelain mask glinted off the sun as it breached the clouds. From the information he gathered as his clones were destroyed left and right, they had fallen into the main bulk of the bandit forces. They were heading away from the destroyed village, no doubt carrying their loot.

Moving quickly, No One leaps back into the trees above. Becoming a shadowed blur as he ran through the roof green. He canceled out the rest of his clones, energy flowing back into him. Using the trees as cover he approaches the bandit's main force. They were carrying various people, people that would be used for slaves in the black market.

Pulling two kunai out, straight and wide in the blade, No One quickly attacked a string with various paper on both. Taking deep breaths, he jumped from the tree, soaring over the main camp as threw the knives down, they whistled from the force, impacting near two groups of bandits. The paper began to glow, hissing, and suddenly a deafening boom filled the area.

Dropping down in tall grass, No One grabbed his main three-pronged kunai before launching himself forward, forming two clones at his side. His first attacks, in tandem with his clones, involved slicing the necks of various bandits. Their aura offered no protection against someone trained to break through it, and their shock was laced on their cold, dead eyes. Bodies dropped, men screamed, panicking at the sudden invasion of an ever-growing force.

Throwing his kunai, No One flashed in golden light toward a cage, slicing the lock apart. People with animal-like features fled from the cages. These people, Faunus, were a hot item on Black Market Sex Trade. The bandits, fleeing the area, were quickly getting cut down left and right.

Their flag, a skull with a black background, fell into the mud as one of No One's clones sliced it apart. Sheathing his kunai, placing pouches on the ground toward victims of kidnapping, he quickly ran for the forests. Intent chase every bandit down, bringing to meet their makers, and their fate in the afterlife.

* * *

Rain fell, in the middle of a pile of bodies, No One stood. The rest of the bandits were slaughtered, his mask stained with blood. There would be no burial for such people, they did not earn that right, but at least their bodies could give back to that they took. Blood washed away from the bodies, the rainwater stained with life juices, pale red streams ran down the hill.

Crouching down, No One brought his hands together, "And so I spill blood…so that a thousand more can live."

"That is my code," No One mantras, "that is my code."

Finishing a quick prayer, holding azure colored beads, he tucked them back into his beltline before standing back up. He would have to report back to his teachers, a mission successful, and his identity hidden.

Trudging through the mud, he suddenly heard someone scream and charge at him.

"You monster!" the last remaining bandit screamed; his war cry filled the void of rain.

Thunder rolled across the sky, a flick of No One's wrist sent his kunai flying, right past the man as he screamed out in anger. Flashing to the kunai, No One turned and sliced, cutting the back of the man's neck. The man stepped a few times, sinking to his knees, he looked up at the skies as the rain started to fall ever slower, and slower until it all stopped for him.

His soul, heart, and life followed soon afterward.

Walking away, No One just took a deep breath, allowing his shoulders to slump. Soon enough, more than likely, Grimm would come. They would devour the bodies, desecrate them as mere fuel to their raging furnace of destruction. With luck, perhaps some of those bodies would just remain on the ground, lest they turn into Apathy.

Placing his three-pronged kunai back into its holster, No One shuffled his feet through the mud, leaving no clear tracks that one could truly identify as human.

* * *

In a cave, a small fire illuminated its darkness, No One stood near the fire. He unfolded a tatami matt to kneel on. Slowly, he knelt to his knees, two much smaller tatami mats were near the fire. Ritualistically, a practice he did many times before, No One removed his arm guards first.

They were neatly slid out from under his shizoku's arms, placed on the tatami neatly. Next came the wraps around his shizoku, slowly he untied them, pulling his cloak off. Folding the cloak by his arm guards, he then set about working on his right wrist. There, he slowly removed spring-loaded kunai holster, meant to get him out of a bind. He took it apart with trained ease, placing it on top of his cloak.

Removing his gloves, exposing tanned skin, he set about pulling his arms into the shizoku, pulling the fabric off his body. The petite body lacked most of its fat, build lean, he probably only weighed thirty-two kilograms. He then reached up, removing the cloak fully, exposing a tetragram seal on the stomach. Folding the shizoku neatly on top of his cloak, to hide the spring-loaded mechanism.

He reaches up, pulling the mask off his face. The face of a young boy, no more than ten. His whisker marks on both sides of his face were thin and giving texture to his round face. His blue eyes stared at the blood on his mask, frowning, he wished he didn't have to these things.

He places the mask on the tatami mat, getting a cloth with herbs soaked into it from a bucket, slowly wiping the blood off. No One reached over to a pack, pulling a journal out. He took a small ink brush, writing in kanji as he filled the journal with a report for the records.

_'__September Fourth. _

_Encountered Bandit Raid on The Village of Cloud Runner. A small village barely on the map of some Mistral Cities like Argus and Mistral City herself. Encountered Grimm as a byproduct of the raid, all bandits eliminated, Grimm will soon flood area. _

_Body count: Thirty-two._

_Fifteen bandits killed by my hand.  
Civilian Casualties: ten, killed by bandits, mostly guards and One Huntsman, Seven injured._

_Status of Skull Hunters: Eliminated to the last man. _

_Operation Time: Twenty-minutes, sixteen seconds.'_

Finishing his report in the journal, No One bit into his finger to stamp it with his blood. A glowing trail of sigils in symbols of kanji trailed over the page, soon the words disappeared until the page was blank. Closing the journal, the child took to making tea over the fire. That's when the wet slaps against cold rock, he stopped and turned around.

"Ma, Pa, any more bandits?" No One questioned them as he started making the tea.

Ma and Pa were two toads, smaller than even No One, they looked at the boy.

"Not that we've seen, you've really kicked in buttocks," Pa answered, the green toad hopping with Ma.

Ma, a toad with violet skin and a light green underbelly, looked at the child. "Naruto-chan…are you okay?"

"I'm fine Ma," Naruto answered as he finished the tea. "I just don't like to shed blood, I wish there was a way to change this, but…"

"But you feel as though this how you're meant to it," Ma continued for him as she looked at the young child. "You remind more of your father each and everyday with these lowly moods of yours."

"Heh," Naruto chuckled a little bit, "When are you two going to teach me Sage Arts?"

"Good grief," Pa bemoaned, "You ask us this every day since you're nearing your eleventh birthday."

"Well…I…read my father's journal. Um, he became a Jonin at fourteen, an elite." Naruto giggled a little bit and then blushed. "You say I remind you of him, perhaps I should be more like him, ya know?"

"Bah," Pa waved him off. "Naruto, you should be of yourself. No One has his place on the battlefield, but your place is your own."

"But," Naruto sighed, "I am No One…"

Pa pinched his nose, "Shima-chan, he's still as dense as his mother."

"Fukasaku, be nice," Shima scolded her fellow Toad Sage.

Naruto poured tea into a small wooden cup, he handed two other wooden cups to the toads.

"Tea is done, Ma-chan," Naruto told Shima as he took a drink of his. "I don't know what we should do, now that Cloud Runner is gone, there's nothing here to protect."

"It means that we train here, Naruto." Fukasaku replied as he got his onigiri made of larva from his wife, "It may Sage Arts, but we will start testing for your elemental affinity."

"Yeah!" Naruto pumped his fist in excitement as he got up, "I hope its fire!"

"Oh Gods, Oh Gods no, anything…but fire." Shima commented as she herself pinched nose, "You'd burn a whole forest down by accident."

"Oh c' mon, I'm not that bad, I mean…I hope not, ya know…" Naruto nervously laughed as he sat back down.

Fukasaku groaned, "Ahh, well, let us pray that by some miracle this brat doesn't have Fire Affinity."

"Whatever, geezer Sage, I'd be the best damn fire user ever!" Naruto stated with pride, only to get a larva at him, "Gah?!"

"One," Shima glared at Naruto, "Do not disrespect Pa, and two, no cursing under our care!"

"Sorry, sorry," Naruto bowed head while he apologized before yawning. "I'm gonna go study the big scroll for a little bit."

"Aren't you going to eat?" Shima asked him as he walked away.

"Not hungry, besides I ate rabbit earlier, so I'm pretty much good for tonight. See you guys in the morning, hopefully, we can get out of this dingy cave soon." Naruto told them before heading into the back of the cave.

Dragging tatami matt with him, he sipped on his tea, the bitter taste keeping his eyes open. Sitting down on his tatami, Naruto reached over to a giant scroll in the back that he had to carry every so often when they moved.

The Giant Scroll, known as The Techniques of Those Who Endure, was made by Naruto's ancestors as Ma once told him. In that very scroll laid the foundations, the history, and knowledge of an era long forgotten. Unfurling it, Naruto picked up where he left off, The Shadow Shuriken Jutsu.

* * *

The next morning's sun filled the cave with new light, Naruto was already up. His kunai in hand, he practiced slashing at dummy he made. All the vital areas, Chest, Armpits, Achilles Heel, Front of the Neck, Back of Neck, and wrists all had cuts and stabs. Targeted, Naruto made sure that he cut into those areas on each strike. It was hard to fight back when you were choking on your own blood, let alone if you had been slashed across the wrists because they couldn't hold a weapon.

At the age of ten, Naruto was more than well versed in the arts of death. It wasn't something to be prideful, but even gardener needed a sword in battle. There was only time Naruto came close to death, and it had been a battle with a rouge Huntsmen, he never accounted for semblances. The man's semblance allowed him to phase through objects, and it came to a big shock when Naruto thought he could just throw a kunai into man's neck and be done.

However, as Fukasaku stared at the blonde practicing with the dummy, he smiled. He had been there, he had watched and observed as Naruto had took a page unknowingly out of his own father's playbook. The Toad Sage missed the lad, wherever he was in the afterlife with his wife, both having died shortly after Naruto's birth.

Fukasaku observed the area, looking at for a certain type of Grimm, a tentacled monstrosity known as a seer. It was a director of sorts, channeling orders somehow to other Grimm, and they made for primary targets in a fight…but the most heavily guarded.

Shima stood by her husband, watching Naruto jump back, forming three shadow clones, "Transformation Jutsu!"

The Toad Sages watched as Naruto's clones transformed into shuriken that he grabbed midair. He turned on his side, gathering momentum before launching the shuriken into the dummy. The clones transforming back to normal just in time deliver a fatal blow on most of the vital areas with twin kunai.

_'__He's ingenious nature of Jutsu reminds me much of his father, he's a quick learner with those clones of his. However, where he shines the most is Kushina-chan's creativity. Those two brought a child into this world that is very powerful, and very talented, I only wish they could see him today.' _Shima thought to herself as she watched Naruto's practice.

Naruto took a deep breath, forming a ball of energy in his hand, "Rasengan!"

Impacting the dummy, Naruto's shatters it with ease, the ball splintering it across his viewing area. The boy stopped, turning to face Fukasaku and Shima, smiling. Fukasaku smirked, looking right Naruto, and then gave his order.

"Again, this time, create copies of your kunai only with no clones."

Naruto saluted, "Yes sir!"

* * *

Naruto stood by Shima and Fukasaku, following their movements in the afternoon sun. Every step they took, every movement they made, he mimicked perfectly. Toad Style Kata flowed from Naruto's movement; a combat art normally associated with masters of Sage Arts. Palm striking, Naruto took a deep breath, pressing forward, and striking the air in front of him.

Shima breathed in the autumn winds as several leaves fell around them, "Ah…we need to go somewhere warm."

"Vacuo?" Naruto stopped, looking at her.

"Bah, too dry, my skin chaffs." Fukasaku complained about the idea, "The last I need to do is start shedding every other day."

Naruto grimaced, "Eww."

Hopping up on Naruto's shoulder, Fukasaku glared right into boy's eyes, "Let me throw you in the desert for a few days. You may burn, but…I…dry…out."

"Once again," Naruto continued to grimace, "Eww."

Flicking his head, Fukasaku hopped off Naruto's shoulder, he watched as the afternoon sun held high. Naruto grumbled as he rubbed the afflicted area, grumbling about "geezer sages" and the likes. The child stared up to the clear skies, and then took a deep breath as three leaves flew into his vision.

A red leaf, a yellow leaf, and an orange leaf in the middle.

* * *

_End of Episode One: No One. _

_Oh, before I forget. _

_Screaming Sun's delay ends next week, I just haven't been motivated to write on it. So, I'm sorry for that delay!_

_Anyway, let me know what you think, and it is that time of year again where I get a lot of OT on my job so…money. Anyway, that's about it, and Alomesteria, my book is on chapter four right now. Hopefully, maybe, I'll be able to get it done in about six months? Yeah, we'll go six months minimum. _

_If you're interested in a peak at the book, I'll happily send you small portion of it. However, that portion is going to be unedited portion and will certain things in it that may not change or stay the same. You know how operate bout now, nothing EVER goes according plan. _

_That's about it, thanks, and happy times all around! _

_-Chris/Blazeraptor54._

**_Poll is closed_**

**_WINTER SCHNEE IS THE WINNER!_**


	2. Nevermore

**_(I called the vote, Winter Schbee has won!_**

**_Besides that I hope you enjoy the chapter, and prepare yourself for some feels.)_**

* * *

Thunder, lightning, and more thunder. A massive storm had blown through the area, winds gusting at nearly two hundred kilometers an hour. Trees stretched; an eerie creaking filled the woods of Mistral as the storm raged. In the storm, if one looked closely, even Nevermore Grimm flew low to avoid its wrath.

The leader of the murder, a Giant Nevermore, swooped into the Emerald Valley, a valley located near Mistral's southern coastline. The coastline was very small, with the rest of it being heavily bordered by cliffs.

Screeching, The Giant Nevermore located a target, a small vessel. The sailors were racing, trying to keep themselves from blowing into the nearby rocks. The screech made their blood freeze, the captain, an old grizzled sea veteran even stood still. He finds his senses just in time to smash the alarm button, trying to get his men to prepare.

Grimm dove headfirst toward their boat, The Captain shouting to the top of his lung over and over, "BRACE!"

It was too late, the ship collapses on impact. Many of the people being flung into the water. The Captain, one of those people, slammed into the water just as his men scrambled for boards and pieces of floating wreckage. Their ship floated away, some of it went underwater, but most of it slammed itself into nearby rocks.

The Giant Nevermore suddenly emerges from the water, lightning illuminating the air behind it. Its wings spread, like a dark angel, it hovered above the men of the vessel. Its powerful screech, its deafening death call, its red eyes glaring down at the souls it would take to empower itself further.

"Oh Gods, we're so screwed!" One of the crew screamed as another bolt of lightning cascaded through the sky.

However, out of the corner of his eye, a figure was above The Giant Nevermore. Then, as the light o the bolt faded, he could see a large blue sphere heading right for The Giant Nevermore. The figure holding the sphere was barely visible to the sailor's eye, but when the sphere impacted The Giant Nevermore it exploded into a brilliant flash of blue light.

Landing in the water around them, pieces of The Giant Nevermore, along with people in masks. Without asking permission, against even some of the men's fearful wills, they began to drag everyone toward the shoreline fishing village nearby.

The Captain looked up as one landed near him, a fox mask over his face, he reached up. Clasping his hand into the open one of the figure, he felt himself then get slung out of the water, toward a team of people that were catching people left and right.

"Who are you people, Huntsmen?" The Capitan asked, confused, he never put out a call for any help in time.

The figure's all hauntingly answered at once, "No One."

With the last sailor out of the water, the group of No One stood guard over them. That's when they heard frog calling, they all looked around, The Captain's eyes growing heavy before he fell over with his crew. All of them collapsing into a deep slumber, landing on the shoreline, No One let two smaller figures drop of his shoulders.

"Good, Kitsune, now what are you going to do?" Fukasaku asked as he felt his hood get blown off.

Naruto started weaving hand seals in front of them, "I'm going to do what I do best, ya know."

One of The Nevermore screeched as it careened toward Naruto and the toads by him. Rearing back, Naruto finished the last hand seal. He then launched himself forward as two of his clones threw two kunai toward him.

"Ninja Art: Multi Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!" Naruto screamed out as the kunai multiplied, impacting the bird as little pouches suddenly appeared on them.

The many explosions filled the sky, like fireworks, they illuminated the sky enough to where Naruto was able to track two other Nevermore heading toward him. Landing on the water, he stood up, smirking under his mask as he jumped back to avoid their nosedive attacks. He turned on his heel, a cloud of smoke forming as he launched a tri-pronged kunai skyward.

_'__In all reality, however, as much I as can avoid them.' _He looked up just as one above launched its feathers at him, _'They're still planning ahead of me.' _

Time began to slow down for him, he took a deep breath to focus, _'But…' _

The feathers impacted him, some stabbing through him, and even one taking his head off. No blood, however, sprayed from these wounds. Shima and Fukasaku looked up, spotting a lone kunai that was hung in the air due to it having been thrown while Naruto had been dodging to counterattack against the diving Nevermore.

However, the Naruto they saw get decapitated bursts into smoke, the kunai then bursts into smoke just as the other Nevermore passed by it. In one swift motion, turning in the air to gather force, Naruto roared out as he applied chakra into the kunai. Slamming it into the Nevermore, it began to slice its entire back open, mortally wounding it as he flew toward the ocean. It didn't try to break away, it was dead as it hit the water.

_'__That moment he spun on his heel earlier, unsealing the backup Flying Thunder God kunai from his arm's seal formula.' _Fukasaku smiled, proudly figuring it all out, _'He hid that lightning-fast transformation in time to get a leg up.' _

Clapping his hands, a sound of chakra being gathered emanated from him. A cloud of smoke formed around him, with the cloud having small figures moving about inside of it. The last two Nevermore from before emerged out of the water. They screamed as they careened toward the airborne Naruto, the masked Shinobi simply lit the sky up in a yellow flash. Appearing in a yellow flash by Shima and Fukasaku, Naruto looked up as the cloud cleared. Floating by the two Nevermore was dozens of paper bombs, each of them starting to ignite.

Making his last hand seal, the Shinobi mentally yelled, _'Uzumaki Style: Chain Explosion Jutsu!' _

Several of the kunai glowed as chains emerged from them, grabbing the Nevermore. Holding them in place, the explosive tags finally go off, blowing the last two into black dust. The explosions thundered over the valley, with lightning and rain still going strong.

_'__That was his mother's technique,' _Shima realized as Naruto dropped a knee, breathing hard.

Shima hopped over to the young warrior, "That was a very clean operation…minimal death."

"Thanks Ma, but still," Naruto looked at the waters.

There was a couple of bodies of sailors floating in the water, even The Capitan's first mate. Their figures slowly slipped below the waves, Naruto's clones began to burst into smoke, one after the other. He was drained dry after that last Jutsu. However, the fight had gone just as planned, even if they had gotten there too late.

They had been tracking this murder of Nevermore for the past two weeks. It was obvious they were waiting for something to happen, and it did, but luckily, they were there to make sure that nothing major occurred. Though few lives were lost, it was safe to assume that they had been avenged at the very least. Fukasaku put his webbed hands on Naruto's back, applying them to start flowing chakra into the young Shinobi.

"I can see why you're tired, you're nearly bone dry," Fukasaku commented, watching as the storm slowly began to die down.

Rain still pelted down, stinging everyone under it. The child-warrior stared straight ahead into the water, watching as more and more pieces of the boat slowly slipped beneath the waves. Getting a full view of the rising sun, the clouds splitting off into the horizon, Naruto felt its heat on his skin while still feeling the rain.

Everything began to slow down as he closed his eyes, _'Eye of Kagura!' _

A pulse of chakra emanated from him; he was going to check to see if by some miracle he had missed a few people. However, as he scanned, hopelessness settled in his heart as he felt _nothing_. All he could see where the dark spots under the waves, aquatic Grimm feasting on the bodies of the men under the waves, growing in power from the action.

He opened his eyes, taking a deep breath in a long overdue sign of being tired. Grimm did not stop, people had too.

"Kitsune," Shima looked at him with concern, "Are you alright?"

Naruto stared ahead, not answering as the sun splits the sky more and more. Shima stared at his mask, seeing him as cold in her eyes, she looked at Fukasaku, both nodded. Both jumped up, landing on his shoulders as Naruto grabbed a Flying Thunder God kunai and held it to where he pointed the kanji of the seal in front of them.

A small rift opens in Space-Time in front of them, with Naruto and The Toad Sages walking through it.

* * *

"Naruto, it is time for dinner!" Shima called out to her and Fukasaku's adopted son.

The elderly Toad Sage hopped along the ground, looking for him, finding him in a punching a massive tree. The blonde had bandages around his hands, his hands obviously cut and bruised. Looking at him, she saw that he had been punching the tree for a while. She sighed, watching him turn his focus toward her.

"Ma," Naruto leaned on the tree, sliding down, "I'm not hungry."

"Nonsense!" Shima yelled as she hopped over to him, applying a healing Jutsu to his hands.

"I'm not…I just…"  
"You're just being hard on yourself."

Naruto looked down at her, nodding, his eyes brimmed with tears ready to drop. Shima felt that his hands were beginning to heal more and more. She slowly pulled her webbed hands off, watching the wounds steam under the wraps.

"I don't understand this, at all, why am I the only one able to do all these things. It's not right, it is not fair, and every day I read through my journal trying to find an instance of where I didn't _fail _at what I am supposed to be do doing!" Naruto yelled the last bit, "It pisses me off so much, ya know!"

He realized what he said, waiting for the slap on the back of his head. However, it never came, instead, Shima jumped on his shoulder. She sighed, rubbing his head as he leaned on the tree. The process of becoming of Shinobi was never easy and had a history of mentally fracturing someone to the point of full breakage.

To be a Shinobi is to let go of compassion, but be precise and cold, to let go of that natural inhibition to show mercy. It was a like an on/off switch in someone's head, as best to be put, Naruto knew he was naturally compassionate. He hated death, he hated spilling blood, but if it came down to it…

Your head would be rolling down the hill long before he ever had a mark on it.

"You're eleven, Naruto, a Genin as well. You're not going to be perfect; you're not going to be able to save everyone. Life is a complex problem because not everyone is given a breath of air. It is not our fault that they are dead, we can only do so much." Shima told Naruto as she got behind him, making his head raise up.

"Ma," Naruto raises his head, "What're you doin'?"

"Close your eyes and relax." She instructed him, smiling when he obeyed immediately.

"I want you to clear your mind, don't move, don't think…just deep breaths." Shima continued to instruct him, watching as he started to take deep breaths.

Naruto stayed like this for a few minutes, but then something happened, he began to see things. He saw life energies like normal, everything's natural chakra, but then he saw natural chakra itself. It was all around him, every tree, every shrub, every blade of grass…and he could feel it. He had been warned to never try and draw it toward him, he wasn't ready to handle it.

Instead, in this highly focused state, Naruto felt nothing. No happiness, joy, or relief. However, on the flipside, he didn't feel sad, angry, or depressed. Listening, closely to the forest, he heard birdsongs and belting of nearby deer. Woodpeckers hitting trees with their beaks, the growl of mountain lions, and even the song of geese as they flew overhead.

Opening his eyes, Naruto's pupil briefly shifted into a foxlike shape. Getting up, with Shima still riding on the back of his neck, Naruto took one last deep breath before flashing away.

* * *

Reading from The Scroll of Techniques from Those Who Endure. Naruto began to process and think out a training regime for his next Jutsu. The scroll was fully unfurled, across an abandoned cottage's floor. Hundreds of Ninjutsu, relegated to sections for every element and specialized sections even.

There was a section for The Rasengan, The Flying Thunder God, and even Uzumaki Style Ninjutsu. From what he learned, from Shima and Fukasaku, The Uzumaki Clan was a very ancient clan that once held every single Jutsu in their possession. A clan so knowledgeable, so powerful, they owned the world through a gentle hand rather than an iron fist.

Knowledge was the currency, love was the goal, and the connection was their philosophy. There was a section for everything that The Uzumaki Clan ever knew of and invented. Auxiliary Jutsu to Forbidden Jutsu, basics to even the level of Sages like Fukasaku and Shima, perhaps beyond.

However, as he and his clones read through the scroll's more basic Jutsu, in hopes of finding one that would be currently obtainable, they noticed a peculiar anomaly in the scroll. It seemed that at the very end of the scroll was a map of sorts, written, not explicitly shown.

It was a riddle.

_'__One in the sand, blowing hot wind.  
Two in a nightly fire, the darkest lands.  
Three in Lakes, all linked.  
Four in Mountains, constantly exploding.  
Five bounding over mountains, in unknown lands.  
Six in caustic pools, in dead forests.  
Seven in heaven, only in at the top.  
Eight in the depths, the deepest ocean.  
Nine inside, as all things are.  
Ten to save it all, for it all to end.'_

Naruto read the riddle over and over, sighing as he only figured out the first one. Obviously, it was talking about Vacuo, more specifically The Great Desert. Naruto heard the door open to the cottage, watching Fukasaku hopped, watching him study.

"Naruto-chan," Fukasaku called to him. "I need you to follow me outside."

Naruto got up, having his clones roll the scroll back up. Walking outside Naruto saw Fukasaku and Shima standing there with a piece of paper in their hands. He looked confused, but then Shima spoke up.

"It's Chakra Paper, it is made to see what your affinity is…today we began your elemental training." Shima tells him, making him smile, "Happy Birthday."

"Awesome, holy crap, how does it?!" Naruto ran over to them, kneeling when he got there, unable to contain his excitement.

"Simply, you flow your chakra through the paper. If the paper burns and turns to ash, you have Fire. If the paper becomes wet, you have Water. If the paper split in two, Wind. Likewise, if the paper crumbles into dust, it means Earth. If the paper crumbles in your hand, Lightning." Shima explains, handing him the piece of paper.

Naruto took a deep breath, he slowly imparted chakra into it. The paper then suddenly tore in two, sliced down the middle. However, as the pieces floated away, they slowly began to glow. Everyone was watching, mesmerized in a way as the pieces faded.

"Interesting," Fukasaku rubbed his goatee, "It would that in the base elements your affinity is with Wind. However, you seem to share that affinity with an affinity with Yang Release."

"Yang Release?" Naruto questioned, tilting his head to the side, confused.

Shima chuckled, "Yang is the element of Light, Life, and Vitality. Normally, those with this element in the old ages made great healers."

"Whoa, that's awesome, so am I unique?"

"In a sense, it just means that your soul has a heavy amount of latent Wind and Yang Chakra. Now," Fukasaku took a deep breath, "This also means you have to work twice as hard."

"Aw man," Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "I thought I do too much already, ya know."

"Ha, not even close our young pupil, but know that if we deem you a master of either one…" Fukasaku looked right into Naruto's eyes as he spoke the words Naruto waited to hear for so long, "We will train you in Sage Arts!"

"Yeah!" Naruto jumped and formed a hand seal, "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Dozens of clones appeared in the small clearing near the cottage, "Alright, when do we get started!"

"Hahaha," Shima laughed as she looked at them all. "Go and gather as many leaves from dead trees as your hands can carry."

Her husband nodded, "And some of you gather some firewood, it will a cold night."

* * *

Naruto's clone was inside the cottage preparing dinner for his master's teachers, the original Naruto was outside in the cold, wearing an orange long-sleeved sweatshirt with black pants. Dozens of clones sat in clusters, trying to slice a leaf in half.

One bursts, with his leaf nearly sliced in half, however, all of them start to burst. Naruto lurches forward, throwing up on the ground. He had nearly used his full chakra stores again, he sighed, getting up. Stumbling toward the door, Naruto opened it up, entering just as his clone finished prepping the meals.

The fireplace was roaring with its fire, heat spread across the cottage. Fukasaku and Shima scooted close together with Naruto sitting in front of them on his knees. The scroll was placed at the corner of the room, with his shozuku placed on the floor by it. The tatami matt Naruto would sleep on was on the bed, with a smaller makeshift bed for his teachers. The blonde sat down fully after saying a prayer over the food and began to enjoy some fish he had caught from a nearby river with his clones.

"Ma, Pa," Naruto looked at them before smiling. "I just…want to say I'm sorry."

"For?"

"I've been moody lately, and I just think I feel alone, ya know. I don't see anyone else with these abilities, am I…the last one?" Naruto asked them, lowering his head a little.

Shima and Fukasaku looked at each other, turning to him, Shima answered his question. "You're not the only Shinobi in the world, child."

"Shinobi are very endangered, so few, the unique Clan Bloodlines are even rarer like yours. It's a process, nature sometimes weeds out the things due to lost knowledge. How can Shinobi, like you, be made when his parents never knew The Ways of Ninshū, let alone how to manipulate their inner energies to form Chakra instead of Aura." Shima explained to Naruto, watching him sigh and nod along.

"So, I know about Aura, why can't people with Aura learn Ninjutsu? Aren't Aura and Chakra made of the same things, Physical Energy and Spiritual Energy?" Naruto asked them, rubbing the back of his head.

"In theory it is possible, but unlikely. Aura from what we've seen from humanity in the last two thousand years is an offshoot of Chakra. Chakra is formed when Physical and Spiritual energy is perfectly mixed, and never goes away, once in synch…it stays. Aura, on the other hand, while strong when focus due to Physical Energy manifesting as that shield you encounter on some people, the weak practice of Spiritual Energy forces users to constantly turn it on and focus in a fight. Although you do not have the benefit of The Aura Shield, you have the means shatter most of them in front of you, perhaps all of them." Fukasaku answered for Shima, drinking his tea afterward.

"Hmm," Naruto thought for a moment, "And I guess Semblances are like those Bloodline Limits you talk about?"

"Actually, yes, that is correct." Shima smiled, praising Naruto's answer, "Tell us boy how goes splitting the leaf?"

"I'm almost there, it's taking a minute," he yawned. "I should have it down by the end of tomorrow."

"That's good after you do that, we'll move to train you in Wind Style Jutsu from The Scroll. Namely, Jutsu that will give you a range of applications." Fukasaku stated, revealing his planned training for Naruto.

Naruto looked at his fish, "I wanted to ask this question for a while…how did my mother and father die?"

Shima and Fukasaku looked each other, sighing, they turned to Naruto. "It's not time yet our son, we'll tell you when you are ready."

"I know…I just…I…really just wanna know what happened to them."

"In due time my child, in due time. For now, let us eat, drink, and celebrate your next step toward being a Shinobi…let alone a Sage." Shima raised her teacup, clinking it with Naruto and her husband's.

_Episode Two: Nevermore. End._


	3. Summer

It was time to move out again, Winter was coming. Naruto stood up, his stuff packed, the small cottage that served as their home for the last month was finally destroyed in a storm. Bending over, the blonde placed a small charm at its footsteps. It was to honor the spirit of the house, something he had been taught to do when taking shelter anywhere. Nature owned everything, no matter what it was, because at the end of the day everything has its start with nature.

Fukasaku and Shima both hopped onto Naruto's shoulders, the blonde turning away from the house. He was facing toward the rising sun. The last leaves of a nearby tree blew. Red and Yellow leaves guided by the winds began to flow in front of Naruto. Dashing forward, Naruto launched himself at the tallest oak, landing with a small thud on each tree as he began to head North East.

The blonde spreads his arms out, gliding with Wind Chakra around his body. Like a flying fox, swerving and dodging around dead trees, Naruto found himself in his own personal heaven. Bouncing over smaller trees, he made sure to where baggy clothing to hide his form, his mask placed over his face just in someone caught a glimpse of him doing this.

Kicking off an upcoming tree, Naruto launched himself toward the river that had been providing him fish and the grubs for Ma and Pa. Using new skillset, Naruto took a run and leaped, forming hand seals. He cocks his hand back, and then launches it forward, blasting himself over the river with a mighty Gale Palm Jutsu.

"Whoa-whoa!" Shima hollered as they careened toward a dead tree.

Naruto smirked, forming Hand Seals, "Wind Style: Wind Blade Jutsu!"

Gusts of wind blew from behind Naruto, sharpened by chakra, they easily sliced through the dead tree in front of them. It left a clean cut to where Naruto could leap off from, continuing their journey. Spreading his arms out, allowing his Wind Chakra he exuded to carry them in a glide. Like a dance, he moved about the trees. His steps, so daft, the deer below didn't hear him.

Springing from branch to branch, the blonde sometimes used his hands to spring off limb, like a fox running upon the ground. Fukasaku and Shima held on with chakra, feeling for any sign of Grimm activity, just in case they had to make a pitstop.

Flipping forward, Shima clutching onto him for dear life, while Fukasaku had a smile on his face, Naruto had a bright smile on his face as well.

They may not be the conventional of families, but he was glad to have them. With this journey of a thousand miles, a new year around the corner, Naruto belonged somewhere.

That somewhere was here, in this moment, and the next moments afterward. This unknown frontier they were going toward held with it the mysteries that all sought after. Cherry blossom trees, falling maple leaves, the likes. Naruto leaped higher, above the canopy of dead trees, leaves blowing all around as he glided down.

* * *

Naruto stopped at a stream. The first bit of snow began to fall, it has been two weeks since they left their cottage. The blonde drank greedily from the stream, raising up, swallowing what was in his mouth. He had tailored some makeshift coats for Fukasaku and Shima. They were much warmer than the ones he had made last year, hopefully, it would hold them over until they could make it to warmer weather.

"So, there's still Vacuo. Vale isn't so bad this time of year, still cold. Mantle is out of the question, and I doubt we'd be allowed in such a fancy city such as Atlas. Menagerie, hmm, Menagerie doesn't sound too bad." Shima said while picking up a grubworm from a small pouch, "Plenty of Grubs there."

"I agree, Menagerie doesn't sound too bad, but we were there last year. Besides, Naruto-chan will have to get used to a city eventually, and Kuo Kuana counts as a truly large city." Fukasaku argued, watching Naruto toss him a water bug.

Fukasaku darts his tongue out, catching it, "Mmm…nothing like food fresh from the waters."

"I can hear you two talkin' back there, Menagerie was awesome. Their leader is incredibly strong-willed, and I enjoyed hearing his speeches about freedom while I went to primary school there for the basic things. Honestly, those White Fang creep's kind of scare me, ya know." Naruto stated as he flopped down on his backside.

Coughing a little bit due to the nippy weather, the blonde yawned before continuing, "And that's not fear of combat…I'm just scared of how they seem so…"

"Warlike?" Shima questioned.

"Yep, that's the word, ya know. However, honestly, it weirds me out still how I'm not a Faunus." Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "After all, I do have these whisker…marks…but whiskers."

"That's the thing, child. You were born with a unique birthmark that runs in your clan, you are strong with them to have three instead of two, like your mother and father." Fukasaku replied, hopping over to the stream.

The blonde Shinobi yawned, "I still don't get why you both are still arguing over this. I voted to stay in the woods, screw the…ow?!"

"Language," Shima chastised him, "And it is for your own good, Sunny!"

"All that is offered in cities, besides Kuo Kuana, is just smug and nastiness. I mean, really, what kind of training am I ever get in a city? I'm perfectly fine with staying out here, being one with nature, and learning about…" Naruto felt their glare as he spoke, he giggled sheepishly, "…Sage Arts."

"Gah, you're incorrigible," The Mother of The Toad Way complained lightly.

"Pfft," Naruto rolled his eyes, "I am only saying that I've nearly mastered Wind Style."

"Yes, but you haven't even touched your Yang Affinity, yet." Fukasaku pointed out, smirking at Naruto's childish scowl.

He huffs, his blue eyes skimmed the water, "True…I practiced a little bit of it though."

The young Shinobi stared out into the forest on the other side, noticing something behind a tree. His eyes widened when he made out ambling, shuffling, zombie-like Grimm that slowly walked toward the stream. The worse part was that they weren't alone, dozens of Beowolfs suddenly ran out in front of them. Naruto grabbed Shima and Fukasaku, jumping into a nearby tree which still had some leafing.

"Ninja Art: Hidden in The Leaf Jutsu…" Naruto breathed, barely above a whisper, and his body slowly blended with the leafing in the tree.

Fukasaku and Shima did the same Jutsu, both stunned at the sheer number of Grimm suddenly appearing. They knew that the Grimm activity in the area was heavy, figuring that there was a large horde nearby, but this much larger than they thought.

That's when they saw feminine looking Grimm, with four different wings, fly through the trees. Its sisters, with two wings, flew behind her. They turned at breakneck speeds, with Beringels rampaging under the trees, knocking smaller ones over.

"Whatever is going on down there, we've gotta stop it!" Naruto stated as he reached down.

He grabbed his mask that was inside of his pack, putting it on, "Ma, Pa!"

"Right," Shima and Fukasaku state at the same time, jumping off his shoulders before hopping away from him.

* * *

"Crap, crap, crap!" A woman screamed as her makeshift team was being forced back. The first wave had hit hard, the woman barely got out of it alive.

She loaded her scythe-rifle, seeing another large in the distance, "There's too many!"

"Ms. Rose, we've gotta go, there's no way!" A larger man, holding a claymore, begged for their retreat.

"Please, we need to go, I've got kids at home. You've got kids at home, and you need be there for them…Harpies!" Another woman screamed, pushing Ms. Rose out of the way just as the squad of Harpies tried to snatch them up.

The flying feminine formed Grimm soared upward; Ms. Rose looked at them as her torn white cloak fluttered in the wind. Every one of these fellow Huntsman was parents, some to adoptive children, and some of them just had their first child. Her silver eyes glared at the Grimm, she had made her choice and stood proud before blowing the head off a nearby Beringel that

"You guys go, I can handle this, I'll hold them off!" Ms. Rose screamed as she readied her scythe-gun for melee combat, her silver eyes flickering with light.

"Summer, no, we can't leave you like this!"

"That's friggin' order!" She pushed the large man, "Go!"

The group stared at her, nodding as they started to fall back. She sliced a Beowolf in half as it lunged at her, another followed quickly as she stepped back. The woman with midnight-scarlet hair roared as a silver light filled the area, she obliterates the nearby Grimm her eyes. Burning them, freezing some of the flying ones that joined and making them fall to ashes.

However, much to her shock, a lot of slower shambling Grimm shielded the heavy hitters. Beringel launched themselves toward her, exhausted, she tried to use her semblance. She barely dodged the first one, but the second smashed her into the ground. Her scarlet aura breaking from the force, she barely uses her semblance to turn in a cloud of rose petals that flowed up a nearby tree. When she got high enough, she turned back into a human, she looked down. She couldn't silver eyes in succession, and they ate up a good chunk of her aura to boot.

"Damn it…" blood dripped from her mouth as she cursed, _'I've got no way out…I'm exhausted…injured…'_

A Harpy screeched, The Alpha, as it launched itself at her. She braced, prepare to fight to her last breath. The Harpy knocks her off the tree, but she managed to slice it in half vertically. She turned around, she was going to try and slice the next Grimm to attack.

However, that's when arrow found itself slamming into her stomach. She looked down, stumbling backward near a massive oak. She felt the arrow burning her skin, she looked up to see where it came from, only making a small figure with yellow eyes in the background that dashed away.

_'__She…I…should've known…the little girl from the village felt unnatural…darn my…naïve love of children…' _Summer collapsed to her right knee, her thoughts of woe flooding her head.

She brought her rifle up, loading another round into it.

_'__Tai…I'm so sorry, please forgive me,' _She fired, the round screaming into the head of a Beringel. _'I said I'd be fine on the mission, I love you…please take of our girls.' _

She loaded another round, firing, _'Qrow…watch over Ruby and Yang, they're gonna need you…especially Tai…' _

"Come get me, I'm right here, come on!" Summer stands up, firing her rifle while backing up.

More and more Grimm fell to the blasts, their rapid charge changed, it was a nice cruelly slow advance. It was if something ordered them to make this death, as brutal as it would be, long as possible. Blood dripped from her mouth, she roared as she rapidly went through her ammo.

Switching her scythe-rifle back into melee mode. Readying herself, Summer allowed them to come to her, she was bleeding out. She had a choice, both grim. She would bleed out before she allowed the beasts to enjoy the pleasure in tearing her apart.

Tears of pain and sorrow fell from her eyes, _'Yang…I love you, and one day you'll learn that you're not biological daughter. However, that doesn't matter, because you'll be my first little girl!' _

_'__Ruby,' _her mind flashed to a mental image of her holding a newborn daughter that looked so similar to her, _'Don't do something like your mom…and don't…worry.' _

She stood up, slicing the head off an Alpha Beowolf while jumping back, _'Super Mom will always be there for you!' _

As soon as she hit the ground, she managed to get herself an opening and ran backward while waiting for an attack. A Beowolf ran toward, roaring, it lunged. Summer was barely able to slice it in half, turning on her heel to slice another and another.

The next Grimm was a massive Beringel, it readied itself to smash her through that tree. The massive beast roared, but the roar was very short-lived as it's head suddenly left its shoulders. Summer's eyes widened, watching the beast collapse as a trail of wind sliced into the tree as well. It fell, falling right on top of a few Beowolfs.

However, just before she found her end at the hands of another Beringel, its head came off as well. She could see the trail of wind once again, this time a kunai was throw in with it, a yellow flash emerging just above an Alpha Beringel.

"Giant Rasengan!" The Mask Wearer emerging from the flash screamed out, blasting apart The Alpha Beringel.

Flipping backward, the person landed in front of her, she looked at the mop of blonde hair poorly hidden by the mask, "Who…?"

She started to hear frogs calling, she took a few deep breaths, looking at mask wearer. She finally passes out, blood still leaking from the arrow's glass-like nature, having broken apart as she tried to keep fighting. Just then a purple frog appeared over, grabbing her.

"Fukasaku, Naruto-chan, I'll take this one somewhere safe. You need to destroy that horde, or her cohorts will be the next thing on the menu!" Shima told them, a puff of smoke appeared over them, and as it cleared, they were gone.

"Gah, that woman sometimes," Fukasaku smirked as he looked at Naruto. "Alright, Naruto-chan!"

Naruto smirked under his mask, flipping two tri-pronged kunai out into the air before jumping up and kicking them toward the back of The Beowolf Swarm that was starting to charge toward them. When the kunai hit two Beowolfs in the back of the crowd Naruto took his chance, flashing away. He appeared behind the Beowolfs as he weaved hand seals.

"Wind Style Air Bullet!" Naruto shouted, blasting a wave of wind from his mouth that tore through the Beowolf ranks.

Fukasaku hopped up, "Sage Art: Boiling Oil!"

The Master of The Toad Way spewed forth of boiling hot oil, splashing the area in it. Beowolfs and Beringels that tried to cross into it found their flesh and even their entire limbs melting on contact. The young Shinobi at their backs jumped up, using their melting limbs as steppingstones as he formed clones to go and corner off other elements.

Landing by Fukasaku, Naruto unsealed a scroll from his arm before unfurling it. Pressing his palm at the indicated place on the small scroll a cloud of smoke erupts. Emerging from the smoke, Naruto held a Giant Shuriken, he lurched back and blew air onto it as he rested it against his palm. The shuriken began to spin rapidly, forming a slicing edge with the wind chakra gathered around it.

Fukasaku observed this, _'Interesting…' _

Naruto threw it as hard as he could manage! The wind enhanced shuriken slices through the tougher Grimm trying to claw their way through the oil. The Shinobi turned on his heel, jumping up in time to slam a regular kunai into the head of an incoming Harpy, he kicked the Grimm into a pile of Beowolfs charging from a nearby brush.

The kunai suddenly glows with a seal around it, exposing a single tag on it before it explodes. The blonde watched as several of his clones took this time to launch smaller Air Bullets into the falling Grimm. He then watched as Fukasaku hopped up, launching himself off his back.

"Sage Art: Toad Sparking Flame Jutsu!" He sucked air into his lungs after announcing his Jutsu, Fukasaku then launched a cloud of ash from his mouth that sparked on the nearby oil.

A massive fire explodes, burning trees and Grimm inside of it. Fukasaku then formed more hand seals, landing on the ground, The Apathy Grimm roar. While Fukasaku ignored, Naruto's eyes widened slightly as he felt himself slow down. Wincing, he willed himself forward, jumping toward a tree.

"Naruto-Chan, behold the power of a Sage!" Fukasaku declared, finishing the hand seals. "Sage Art: Earth Cauldron!"

Slamming his webbed hands onto the ground, Fukasaku forced the earth to bend, sinking the flames and Grimm around the entire clearing into the ground. Most of The Grimm left were getting picked apart by Naruto's clones, but his master trapping the rest, the battle was won.

"Sage Art: Sinking Hell!" His master screamed once more, slamming his webbed hands onto the ground again.

The Grimm in the cauldron began to sink, but as they did, the ground below turned to mud that began to spread. The various cries, roars, and growls of dying Grimm filled the area. Fukasaku started on a newer series of hand seals, finishing in time to fill his mouth with oil.

"Sage Art: Liquid Flame Stream!" Naruto's eyes widened as firestorm emerged from Fukasaku's mouth, melting and burning away all the Grimm in the sunken ground.

What had been roars, turned to silence. Naruto stared in awe, he felt jealous that he didn't have that power, but then smiled as he watched Fukasaku turn to them and held an up a thumb's up. He landed by his master, kneeling, watching as the flames crackling.

Naruto took a deep breath, "What's the next move?"

"We need to find shelter, and a place to take that woman," Fukasaku told him.

The blonde placed his hand on Fukasaku, flashing away.

* * *

Shima was able to clean the woman's wound out, wondering what was taking Naruto and Fukasaku so long, she took a kunai and breathed fire on it. Touching the wrapped-up handle, she turned to the woman, just then Naruto and Fukasaku appeared.

"What took you two?!" Shima yelled at them, watching as Naruto took off his mask.

"We're fine, Ma, just a little bit more than a simple horde, ya know." Naruto laughed, walking over toward the woman.

Shima sighed, "I was lucky to save her life, she lost a lot of blood. I need to cauterize the wound, what Yang Release Jutsu have you learned?"

"Oh, um, Mystical Palm Technique!" Naruto yelled out as his hands started to glow green, he walked over toward her. "So, what am I doing?"

"You're healing her, doofus, she has some body injuries. Plus, on the flipside, The Mystical Palm Technique soothes pain…which is kind of going to be needed to keep her in the Genjutsu." Shima readied herself to place the kunai over the bleeding wound, noting the cooling of the knife, "Any day now!"

Naruto placed his palms over the woman's chest, not really concerning himself with anything. He just grumbled under his breath as began to flow the green colored chakra into her. Shima slowly placed the kunai down onto the wound, steam rose up, but so did the woman.

"SON OF COOKIE MUNCHING, BUTT KISSING, RAVEN BRAWEN, SCREWER!" She screamed out in random, howling in pain.

Shima managed to seal the wound, but now a new problem, her eyes met the silver eyes of the woman. Fukasaku's mouth hanged agape, Naruto's hands had long since left the woman's chest, however, his Jutsu obviously didn't do anything to help the situation. Silver eyes met Fukasaku, and then slowly turned to the blues of Naruto Uzumaki.

"Um, hi?" Naruto offered up, laughing nervously.

"Gah?!" The woman got up, moving toward the back of the cave they were in, that Shima had found.

Shima slapped her head, "Things go from bad to worse, this isn't my day."

"Talking frog, holding a knife!" The woman pointed toward Shima, freaking out, "Why are you talking and holding a knife."

Fukasaku glared at Naruto, "I thought you said you knew that Jutsu?"

"I said I just practiced it a little bit, context Pa, context ya know…" Naruto replied dryly, pinching his nose.

The elderly Toad Sage just slapped his face, "When this over, we're going to sit down and solely focus on Yang Training."

Naruto noted the woman eyeing Shima, "Ma, please put the kunai down…"

"Wait, Ma, Pa…are you are frog person. None of this makes sense, none of this, am I dead?!" The woman shouted, remembering her recent battle before passing out.

"First of all, we're Toads, except him." Shima corrected the woman, pointing at Naruto with her thumb.

"Toads, frogs, what's the difference?!" She cried out, pointing out both now, "You're both talking and that is not okay!"

She reached for a stone, but stopped once she felt something against her throat, it was the blonde. In the literal blink of an eye he had managed to grab the knife of where Shima was, and now he was holding it against the throat, right over her jugular.

"Drop it…now."

She didn't argue, dropping the stone, watching him step back. There was something different about him, it was like in an instant the confusion and childlike eyes of the boy turned cold and menacing. No longer did those blue eyes shine, but instead they were dim, and every bit of the feeling rolling off them was colder than any deep freeze Ice Dust could produce. It came to as a shock, the boy was maybe a few years older than Yang. Yang, however, was five, making it even more disconcerting.

Holding her head low, she sighed, "If you were working with Salem…I'm not going to beg."

"Salem?" Naruto inquired, confused.

Shima and Fukasaku looked at each other, "Young lady…perhaps it is best that you just calmed down. Naruto, apologize."

"For what?!" Naruto yelled as he turned to them, confused, "She was going to hurt you guys."

"Naruto…she's injured and frazzled, you overreacted," Shima stated, glaring at him.

He grimaced, turning to the woman, "I'm sorry…I just have a particular reaction to those that hurt my family…or other people, ya know."

"Oh no offense taken, just put the knife, will you?" She pointed out the fact he still had the knife, he sighed before dropping it.

It clattered on the cave floor, she looked at them, "So…what happens now?"

"Now," Fukasaku sighed, "Damage Control…do you by chance know Ozpin?"


End file.
